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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Kitchen Deep Cleaned and Decluttered

I am still here. I had an unbelievably busy end to last week. I barely had time to read all my favorite blogs let alone comment.

Hubby was off yesterday too for President's Day, so that meant a different schedule. I can safely say I am retired because I hardly noticed it was Valentine's let alone President's Day.

You may have noticed it is Wednesday on the post, that is because it is after midnight that I write this. You will see why at the end.

Today I tried to make up for with some cleaning. I decided to tackle my kitchen. Lately, it has been a hotspot for trouble, so I gave some thought to what was going on and tried to remedy it.

I decluttered and rearranged the counters a bit. I moved the mixer to this side of the room. My pantry is behind that wall and the island is in front. I have a lot of my baking things right inside the pantry door or either in the island on that side. My measuring cups and stuff like that are in those drawers. I don't know if I will like it or not, but it has to go along the wall because of the outlets.

There was a basket organizer in that location with a plant in front of it. I had that there from my working days. It housed stamps, labels, pens, pencils, and was a junk collection spot. I really didn't even use it anymore. It just housed junk and looked somewhat messy. I am one of those people if there is a mess already there, I will continue to add to it rather than take the time to put it away.

That is not totally fair to me...I was that way when I was working. I have been much better since I am at home. I try to touch once only.

I moved my cross stitch month back over to this counter since it is never used for meal prep. That is done on the island. Plates are above this counter and the table is to the left so the path to the TV was always a necessity for my son. That is why that metal tin is there. He loved oatmeal cookies to dip in milk. I kept it there, because that is where my mother in law kept them and got him hooked on him. When he was younger, he would grab a stool, and sit there and eat cookies dipped in milk while watching cartoons. Maybe that is where I went wrong:) He is actually doing much better.

A little less of the things that could bring hotspots of mess. Hubby uses the toaster oven and I use the toaster, although I haven't had a slice of bread since November, so maybe I can get rid of the toaster.

The island is the prep station as well as the serving station. I truly try not to put anything on it whatsoever. I have been eating tons of fruit on my new program, so I keep the bowl of fruit there. The island is one of those places that if anything is placed on it....well....trouble looms. I struggle to keep it from being a drop off zone. I am the guiltiest of all here. I have recommitted to keeping it clear.

The silver piece in the middle is a mixer. It only works on high, so I use it for meringues. One of those dreams is to redo that island and give myself an outlet there. I have outlasted the trend for granite and I think white counters are making a comeback. I just could never justify pulling up the Corian that nothing was wrong with just to have a different color, so mixer stayed.

Moving onto the stove area. I moved some other clutter around that and left only the two jars for spoons, utensils, etc. I have room in drawers for those, but the drawers are not so deep or wide so that you would have to spread them out over four drawers, so that is simply not practical for day to day use.

I had some decorative items around those jars that I took away. Much better.

Onto the sink. Underneath the paper towel rack, I had a basket that also was a catchall for junk, but it really had nothing much in it and I can't remember the last time I put anything it it. I also had a picture in a frame that I was forever wiping off. Moved both of those. Hubby has some protein drinks that he is using right now and insists that they are left right there. Oh well!

I am pondering maybe moving the dishwashing liquid to something at least cuter. I know I should store it underneath the sink, but I am not sure I would like opening that cabinet so many times. My mom would absolutely never leave hers out there. I may give that some thought.

I am not a photographer at all, so taking a picture with sunny weather around that sink is a no go. I have to tell you that when I am feeling like I want to throw a pity party for myself for whatever reason is quickly dismissed when I look out those windows.

I did go back and remove some of the stuff out of the window after taking this picture.

After putting out fall decorations too early this past year, I have been very mindful of not doing that again. I am generally good for about two weeks with extra stuff floating about, yet I am no different than anyone else in longing for spring.

I changed out my placemats and napkins getting rid of the Valentine's Day red while not putting any bunnies, eggs, or shamrocks yet. I added some flowers for good measure.

Definitely made it more springy in the kitchen.

I also decided to give my grout a once over in the kitchen today, so down on my knees I went. I had a cleaning lady before I retired that really kind of messed up my tile floor in the kitchen. It was her last stop on the cleaning day and I think water that was not so clean ended up dirtying that grout. She was a wonderful cleaner in all things but that.

It isn't white grout, but it did look much better.

One tiny problem!!!

I started feeling sick with a scratchy throat and my nose was burning this evening. I got out the cold medicine and took a big dose thinking ...."Wow, that came out of nowhere."

As I have tried to go to bed and am miserable, it hit me. I am pretty sure the cleaner I used to get that floor looking better got me. I was on my hands and knees spraying it and then letting it soak in. Then I used a scrubber on it. After all that, I mopped the kitchen. It looks great, but I feel terrible. Slight headache.

That would probably not happen to anyone else in the world, but me but yes, I feel yucky and can't sleep. Trying to drink a ton of water and use saline spray in my nose. I am guessing I should have opened windows.

I am thinking that was not so good for my doggies anyway. Although they avoided the room all day. They did eat on it this evening. Lemony inhales hers and then goes to sit by Lucy who is a slow eater.

5 comments:

Your kitchen looks beautiful!!! I am laid up with a cold/laryngitis as well. Mine started on Sunday pm so I am hoping to feel better in a day or so. I have given up most chemical cleaners because they really did bother me. Now I use natural products and I find I breathe much easier. I have my kitchen grout cleaned once a year by the man who cleans the carpet in our bedroom. He does a good job..I may have him come twice a year. I had to laugh at your comment about your stamp basket. I have one too and I find it is a catch all for things I need to deal with....we are very much alike Sandy. Hope you get to feeling better.

Well I promised myself after last night to never ever try cleaning grout on my own. I am absolutely positive that the chemicals were too much for me. I may need to check into the steam cleaning. I have felt not so good all day, but it is not like a usual cold

Thanks Stacey. I use Pledge Revitalizing Oil on them once a year. The large portions really look great and have held up over the years well. The tops of my most used drawers by the stove are not so good, but if I use anything on them they look like they will take the stain off, so I just tolerate that. They were built in 1984, so overall they have held up really good. I really didn't like the white Corian at all when we moved in, but it was just too nice to change just because I didn't like white, so I just held on. I honestly can say now that I like it and wouldn't want to change it.I learned a big lesson about the chemicals. I have no doubt that is what made me sick.

About Me

I really did major in home economics, but God had other plans for my career. I am a retired teacher and finally living the dream of being a home economist.
I love my family, my doggies, and Auburn University. War Eagle! My hobbies are sewing, gardening, reading, and trying to keep a clean house (sigh).